Container assembly for fastening a stabilizing arrangement on a container

ABSTRACT

A container assembly comprising a container of plastic material adapted for receiving a liquid and including a bottom of convex shape in the central portion of which the material is thicker and less oriented than in the outer portion and the side wall. A stabilizing foot supports the container and for this purposes is welded to the container in the central portion of the bottom thereof whereat the material is less oriented. The foot includes an annular projection extending downwardly from the portion welded to the container. The projection is hollow and forms an annular support foot including a rim which extends upwardly from the projection into smooth peripheral sliding engagement with the bottom of the container. The support foot is welded to the container while the middle portion of the projection is held against the middle portion of the bottom of the container.

CROSS-RELATED APPLICATION

This is a continuation on application Ser. No. 862,119 filed 5/12/86which in turn is a continuation of Ser. No. 759,661 filed 7/26/85, whichis a continuation of Ser. No. 259,167 filed 4/30/81 which is acontinuation of Ser. No. 56,558 filed 7/11/79 all now abandoned which isa division of Ser. No. 928,539 filed 7/27/78 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,196,039issued 4/1/80 which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 793,737 filed5/4/77 now abandoned.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a container and particularly to acontainer such as a bottle having a stabilizing arrangement, such as afoot, thereon. The invention is suitable for use where the stabilizingarrangement and also the container consist of plastic material.

The present invention is particularly suited to a container for liquidsunder pressure, e.g. for carbonated beverages, where the containers aremainly made of a plastic material, and especially to the arrangement insuch containers of an outside, stabilizing device, which is to make upthe foot of the container.

BACKGROUND

There is great interest in the ability to make containers of plasticmaterial for storing beverages, for example. This interest is due, amongother factors, to the desire to reduce the weight of the packing used,as far as this is possible, and at the same time to utilize the goodproperties of plastic material, for example in respect of impactstrength. The types of plastic material used for for this purpose arehowever, relatively expensive, so that in connection with theconsumption of mateial it is obviously also necessary for reasons ofeconomy to employ the smallest possible wall thickness of containersused. In order to withstand the loads to which the material packed inthe containers is subjected, the parts of the containers which aresubjected to these stresses, for example the bottom of a bottle, must beso constructed as to make the most effective possible use of thestrength of the material. This is particularly important when containersof plastic material are used to store materials under pressure, forexample, beverages containing carbon dioxide. Because of therequirements explained above, this means that the bottom of a containershould have a mainly circular shape.

For a container, for example a bottle, for storing materials, it is anessential requirement that it should be possible for the container to bestored in an upright position. With a container having a bottom ofcircular shape this is obviously simply impossible. This has in turn theconsequence that containers of the kind described here are equipped withsupporting arrangements, for example feet. Various type of feet havebeen used, being either parts projecting from the bottom of the bottleor separate parts fixed to the containers. In the last-mentioned casethese parts are applied to the container, for example, by snapengagement, riveting, or comparable methods.

The types of plastic which can be used at present within this field aremainly polyvinyl chloride (PVC), acetylonitrile (AN), and polyethyleneterephthalate (PET), and materials similar to these. The reason for thisis that the materials in question have viable combinations of barringproperties and properties of impact resistance, and that they areeconomical and meet existing requirements for use as packages for foodarticles.

In order to acquire the desired properties in containers made of theabove-mentioned materials, the material in the wall of the container isusually stretched so that it is oriented. This orientation will increasethe impact resistance of the material. The containers are often made, inprinciple, as cylinders, where one end surface is more or lessspherical, whereas the other end surface is often replaced by abottle-like opening. The reason for the spherical end surface is thatthe materials mentioned have the property in common that they arerelatively expensive, and that from a financial point of view the wallsof the containers will therefore have to be made relatively thin. As thematerials are elastic a shape of the end surface is required which willexpose the material to as little strain as possible. The result of thespherical bottom which is therefore used is that a container made inthis way cannot stand on a plane surface, e.g. on a table.

The advantages which are moreover a result of the use of these materialshave brought about, however, that containers with spherical end surfaceshave been equipped with supplementary devices so that the container hasa standing surface. The solutions that have come forward can be dividedinto three groups:

According to the first group, the spherical end surface has been fittedwith bulges of various shapes, so that the bulges form a kind of leg onthe package.

In the second group the surface of the bottom, which is in principlespherical, has been dislocated inwards in its central part, so that thepackage can stand on the point between the extreme concave part of thespherical surface and the central inwards directed part of the bottom.

In the third group the containers are fitted with an outside stabilizingdevice which has the shape of a foot, so that the material in theoutside stabilizing device is separated from the material in thecontainer.

Containers which are made according to the characteristics of the firstgroup mentioned above have the disadvantage that problems may arise inacquiring the necessary stability of deformation in the containers.Especially in connection with high temperatures the pressure in thecontainers can increase to such an extent that the legs are deformed tosuch a degree that the stability of the containers are reduced to anextent which is not desirable.

There is no doubt that the ability of the container to resist insidepressure can be increased by reducing the size of the legs, but thiswill only bring about the drawback that the standing surface of thecontainer is so small already from the beginning that the stability ofthe standing container is much too small. Another drawback in connectionwith the containers discussed here is that they may be difficult to blowinto the desired shape.

Containers made according to the second of the groups mentioned abovewill only have the required stability against inside pressure if theplastic material used is sufficiently stiff. Stiff plastic materials ofthe type mentioned above have the disadvantage, however, that they arebrittle, and therefore such packages have reduced resistance to impacts,e.g. if they fall. The shape of the bottom mentioned will also entailthat the standing surface is relatively small and that the stability ofthe containers is consequently lower than what is desired.

Finally, as far as the third group is concerned, it can be ascertainedthat it is usually provided with a foot made of an inexpensive material,in which the actual container is placed. The foot of the container isfastened to the container by means of some kind of snap connection. Itmay also occur that the foot is riveted mechanically to the package.

In the course of time, recycling of materials has gained more and moreimportance. This, no doubt, also is true for plastic materials. It isknown that plastic materials may lose much of their good properties--thematerial may even become unfit for use--if it is contaminated by smallquantities of another plastic material or contaminated by anothermaterial.

The usual procedure in connection with the manufacture of containersmade of plastic is first to form a workpiece which is a tube that isclosed at one end, which in the finished package is usually the bottomof the package. The workpiece is blown into the desired shape, e.g. thatof a bottle. This method of manufacture means that there will be athicker and less stretched part in the bottom of the finished packagethan in the other part of the package. This is usually the case inconnection with the methods of manufacture used today. In certain cases,however, the mentioned central part can be prevented by using a flat,sheet-shaped workpiece for the manufacture of the container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention contemplates a container having fastened thereto aseparate member, which consists of a supporting arrangement, for examplea foot on the container.

According to the invention, the supporting arrangement is welded to thecontainer. The invention can be applied to combinations of plasticmaterial in the supporting arrangement and container when the plasticmaterial in the supporting arrangement and container are weldable.Examples of such plastic materials are polyethylene, polyethyleneterephthalate, acrylonitrile, and polyvinyl chloride.

According to the invention, the stabilizing arrangement is guided into aposition in which it lies against the container. The material of thestabilizing arrangement is thus pressed against the material of thecontainer. According to one embodiment of the invention the inclinationof the bottom of the container to become deformed during the fasteningof the arrangement is compensated by subjecting the internal volume ofthe container to pressure. This embodiment is often suitable for usewith thin-walled containers. As an alternative, the application ofpressure is replaced by a mechanical holding-up means. A mandrel fortransmitting energy, for example ultrasound, is brought into a positionin which the mandrel supplies energy to the material of the stabilizingarrangement and of the container in a region which correspondssubstantially to that where the stabilizing arrangement lies against thecontainer. The stabilizing arrangement is thus welded to the container.When this has been done, the welded parts and the container togetherwith the stabilizing arrangement fastened to it are cooled.

After stabilizing arrangement and the container have been broughttogether, a bending moment is produced in the stabilizing arrangement bydisplacing the middle bottom portion of the stabilizing arrangement inrelation to the other parts of the latter before the welding is carriedout. This displacement is achieved by moving the middle bottom portionin the direction of the bottom of the container so that afterapplication to the container a stabilizing arrangement disposed in thisform presses the container with its upper edge.

An apparatus for fastening stabilizing arrangements on containersconsists of a supporting member which continuously receives thestabilizing arrangements in unison with the rate at which thestabilizing arrangements are to be welded to the containers. A grippingmeans acts on the containers in such a manner that each individualcontainer lies against the stabilizing arrangement under the action ofcompressive forces when the stabilizing arrangement lies in thesupporting means. An energy supply means, for example an ultrasonicwelding means, is brought by driving means into contact with thematerial of the stabilizing arrangement and provides energy at theregion of contact between the material of the stabilizing arrangementand the container. The materials are thereby heated and the stabilizingarrangement is welded to the container. If necessary, the container isgiven a stable shape during the course of the welding through the actionof a holding-up means which assumes a position in which it lies againstthe inner surface of the container in the welding region, or by theaction of a pressure application element which holds the internal volumeof the container under increased pressure.

Two concentrically disposed rings are provided in the supporting elementfor the stabilizing arrangement. The outer ring preferably has abeaker-like appearance and is adapted to the outside dimensions of thestabilizing arrangement. In certain embodiments the ring is disposed ona number of relatively soft springs.

The inner ring has an inside diameter which is adapted to the outsidediameter of a mandrel which supplies energy. In this arrangement it ismade possible for the mandrel to slide through the ring for the purposeof bearing against a stabilizing arrangement when the latter restsagainst the inner ring.

When a stabilizing arrangement has been introduced into the supportingmeans, consequently the middle portion of its bottom rests against theupper surface of the inner ring and at the same time is centered in thesupporting means by the outer ring. In an embodiment where the outerring is suspended on springs, it is situated in an upper position independence on the action of the springs.

A gripping means acts in sequence on the containers in such a mannerthat they are brought into a position with their bottom parts disposedin the stabilizing arrangement. The latter more or less embraces thebottom part of the container. The gripping means then acts on thecontainer in such a manner that the container is moved in the directionof the stabilizing arrangement. The middle portion of the bottom of thestabilizing arrangement is fixed in position in the supporting elementwith respect to the inner ring, whereas the outer parts of thestabilizing arrangement are displaced relative to the middle portion ofthe bottom through the action of the container. If necessary, this ispermitted by the previously mentioned spring suspension of the outerring. Through this displacement of the container, reliable contact isalso obtained between the middle portion of the bottom of the containerand the middle portion of the stabilizing arrangement.

In one embodiment, an arrangement simultaneously embraces the mouthportion of the container in such a manner that the latter forms a closedspace. Pressure is applied to the interior of the container whereby itis stabilized against mechanical displacement. The element used forembracing the mouth portion of the container preferably consists of thepreviously mentioned gripping element.

The previously mentioned assistance in the displacement of the containerfor a relative movement of the material of the stabilizing arrangementis preferably provided by the gripping element. In one embodiment thegripping element is displaced with a roller lying against a cam so thatwhen a relative displacement occurs between the roller and the cam, thegripping element is displaced in the direction of the stabilizingarrangement.

With the stabilizing arrangement and the container fixed in relation toone another in the manner described in the previous paragraph, a mandrelis thereupon guided through the inner ring so as to come into contactwith the material in the middle portion of the bottom, of thestabilizing arrangement for the purpose of supplying energy, forexample, ultrasonic energy. Ultrasonic energy is applied to the materialof the stabilizing arrangement and container, and the stabilizingarrangement is thus welded in this region to the bottom of thecontainer. With the stabilizing arrangement and the container also fixedin relation to one another by external elements, the welded part is thecooled, the internal excess pressure (where applied) is relaxed or theholding-up means used is removed, whereupon the external fasteningelement is removed and the container together with the stabilizingarrangement welded to it is carried away from the production unit.

The inner ring is preferably mounted for sliding in the supportingelement, so that the distance of the container in the axial directionbetween the upper surface of the inner ring and the upper surface of theouter ring is adjustable.

The relative displacement between the middle portion of the bottom ofthe stabilizing arrangement in relation to the remainder of the latteris effected in an alternative embodiment of the invention through thedisplacement of the inner ring, optionally in conjunction with thedisplacement of the outer ring.

The positioning of the individual stabilizing arrangement in thesupporting element and also the displacement of the containers with orwithout the stabilizing arrangements can be effected in accordance withconventional techniques. Thus, for example, a suction means may be usedto secure the stabilizing arrangement and a vacuum tube for bringing thecompleted containers to a storage site.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The container according to the present invention and the apparatus forits production will be described below in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic sectional view of one embodiment of a container

FIG. 2a schematically shows a modified arrangement in which thestabilizing device is fitted with a supporting edge,

FIG. 2b shows how supporting devices of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2acan be nested into each other,

FIG. 3 schematically shows an embodiment where the edge of thestabilizing device is bent towards the center of the device,

FIG. 4 schematically shows an embodiment where a cylindrical part of thestabilizing device surrounds the bottom part of the body of thecontainer,

FIG. 5a schematically shows an embodiment similar to FIG. 4, but wherethe body of the container is recessed inwards in the lower part,

FIGS. 5b-5e schematically show various embodiments in accordance withFIG. 5a as to how the outside edge of the stabilizing device has beenarranged,

FIG. 6 schematically shows an embodiment with a planar bottom in thestabilizing device, before this is fixed to the body of the container,

FIG. 7 schematically shows an embodiment of the stabilizing deviceespecially adapted for friction welding,

FIG. 8 schematically shows an embodiment where the central part of thestabilizing device lies true against the convex bottom of the body ofthe container,

FIG. 9 shows in cross-section the stabilizing device arranged with anannular rib,

FIG. 10 shows in cross-section the appearance in principle of a joint inconnection with an embodiment according to FIG. 9,

FIG. 11 shows in cross-section examples of joints that are suitable foruse in connection with ultrasonic welding,

FIG. 12 is a front perspective view of apparatus for producingcontainers, and

FIG. 13 is a sectional view of a detail illustrating the mounting of theelement for welding the stabilizing arrangement to the container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention will next be described in conjunction with specificmethods and apparatus for forming containers with attached stabilizingarrangements. According to the invention, an outer stabilizing devicealso referred to as a stabilizing foot, in the shape of a mainlycylindrical short part is arranged in connection with the bottom part ofthe container. This cylindrical part is made of the same material as thecontainer, and it is melted or welded to the bottom of the container inits central, thicker part. The stabilizing device is fitted with aprincipally planar part, which in the combined package, which is made upof the container in combination with the stabilizing device, makes upthe bottom surface of the combined package. The stabilizing device thus,more or less, surrounds the spherical part of the body of the container,and by welding to the body of the container it makes up an integratedpart of the body of the container. The stabilizing device is formedseparately and it is connected with the body of the container primarilyto an extent which results in a relatively small penetration into thematerial of the container body. This entails that the material formingthe stabilizing device will never come into contact with the liquid thatis stored in the container. This also entails that it is not necessaryto manufacture the stabilizing device of a material which has not beenused before, waste materials and material recycled from packages usedbefore can be used. Thus, the invention makes it possible to meet allexisting requirements to hygiene, and at the same time, through thisinvention, earlier used material can be used again.

First of all, the invention is directed towards the special group ofmaterials called polyethylene terephthalate. This type of material hasthe desired property that will produce containers with very high impactresistance, but because of its smaller degree of stiffness in proportionto the other materials mentioned it requires, in return, the earliermentioned principally spherical shape of the bottom. However, by meansof various additives, so-called "impact modifiers", the two other typesof material can have their impact resistance increased at the expense oftheir stiffness. This, in turn, will entail that even these types ofmaterial will acquire properties that make the invention adaptable forcontainers made of the materials in question. By polyethyleneterephthalate and similar materials are meant materials such aspolyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene-2,6 and 11,5-naphthalate, andco-polymers of ethylene terephthalate, ethylene-isophthalate, andsimilar polymer plastics.

By similar materials as indicated in the two other main groups are meantin this description materials such as polymers made of monomerscontaining a nitrile group. By way of example of such monomers there canbe mentioned methacrylic nitrile and arcylic nitrile. Monomers which canbe co-polymerized with the monomers that contain nitrile groups can alsobe used. Other applicable materials are synthetic rubber material, e.g.polybutadiene, butadiene-styreneco-polymers, etc.

In connection with previously described methods for the manufacture ofcontainers it can be pointed out that a considerably larger thickness ofmaterial is obtained in the central bottom part of the containers thanin the cylindrical part of the containers. This, in turn, means that thematerial in this central bottom part is less stretched and thus lessoriented, approximately to the same extent as it is thicker. Thestarting point for this reasoning is that the workpiece, from which thecontainer is made, has by and large the same thickness in all parts.FIG. 5a diagrammatically shows the bottom of the container and theattached support foot and the bottom of the container is shown with itsthicker central portion by way of example and without any intention ofbeing representative of any specific relationship of the thickness ofthe container.

The materials which are of current interest for the manufacture ofcontainers of the type described here will lose, in connection withheating, their special properties, which are built into the materialthrough its stretching. By the special properties is meant theorientation which is built into the material, and which will disappearif the material is heated to its melting point. At the same time, themelted condition in the material is necessary in order to obtain thewelding together of the stabilizing device and the body of thecontainer, which is required according to the invention. In order tolose as little as possible of the orientation which is built into thematerial the welding is performed in such a way that the heating of thematerial will penetrate as little as possible into the material.Furthermore, it takes place in the central part of the bottom of thecontainer, where the material is thick and less stretched and thereforeoriented only to a small degree as diagrammatically illustrated in FIG.5a.

The stabilizing device is made according to the methods which areemployed within the plastic industry for the manufacture of similarproducts. For instance injection moulding, thermo moulding, or punchingcan be used. As basic material can be used both amorphous and stretchedmaterial, e.g. PET.

According to the above, the stabilizing device can consist of a body, inwhich the material is amorphous, and where the body is shaped by meansof injection moulding. Furthermore, the body can be amorphous and madeby means of thermo moulding, and in this way the basic material can, forinstance, have the shape of a foil. Further, the body can be amorphousand shaped by means of mechanical deep pressing, where the basicmaterial can, for example, have the shape of foil. The body can even bestretched and oriented and formed through deep pressing from a basicmaterial, which can, for instance, have the characteristics of foil.

Instructions have been given above as to how the body forming thestabilizing device can be manufactured and which properties the materialof this device may have as far as any orientation is concerned. Asappears from the alternatives described, the construction of the body isrelatively independent of the methods of manufacture. In addition to themethods mentioned for obtaining a body with amorphous or stretchedmaterial, other methods of manufacture can no doubt be applied withoutdeviating for that reason from the idea of the invention. The materialof the body can, for instance, be oriented even in the case where thebody is obtained through thermo moulding.

Concerning the joining of the stabilizing device with the body of thecontainer, this is made, as already metioned, through some form ofwelding. Suitable methods of welding are friction welding or ultrasonicwelding, but even thermo-welding may be used.

It has been possible to ascertain that both in connection with frictionwelding and with ultrasonic welding it is possible to join, amorphously,stretchedly, or crystallinely, PET both with bodies where the materialis in a corresponding condition, and with bodies where the material isis one of the two other conditions.

In tests it has just as surprisingly turned out that both frictionwelding and ultrasonic welding can be performed directly between thematerial in the stabilizing device and the material in the body of thecontainer without necessitating any hold-down at the inside of the bodyof the container. This later fact is of substantial importance, ascontainers of the type for which stabilizing devices according to theinvention can be of current interest will often have a very smallopening. The result of this is that a hold-down in connection with thewelding would therefore be very difficult to arrange in practice. Thesmall diameter of the opening will create certain problems when such ahold-down is to be placed down at the bottom of the container. Theinsertion of such a hold-down into a container will also create a riskof admitting infectious matter or other undesired objects into thecontainer. This is of considerable importance when the container is usedfor storage of for instance food articles.

The stabilizing device is also made with a ventillation and draininghole in order that liquids shall not be able to collect in the body.(See FIG. 5a) The holes can, for example, be punched in connection withthe manufacture of the stabilizing device, or they can also be madethrough a simple perforation. A stabilizing device according to theinvention will thus create:

A stabilizing influence on the body of the container, which will havethe effect that the ability of the body of the container to resistpressure from the inside will be increased,

that the combined container, combined by the body of the container andthe stabilizing device, will have a planar and relatively large standingsurface, which makes it possible for the combined container to berelatively stable in an upright position,

a sufficiently firm connection between the body of the container and thestabilizing device that they will not fall apart during the handling ofthe combined package,

a forming of the bottom part of the combined container, which will notbe destoryed if the filled package is subjected to a fall, and which isthis way enables the composite package to remain fit for use in the wayintended, eve after such a free fall,

a composite container, in which the consumption of material is at aminimum, and

a constructive structure of the composite container which is adapted toconventional welding methods.

In FIG. 12 a plate 100 is mounted on a shaft driven by a mechanism 101.The plate is rotatable stepwise so as to assume fixed stoppingpositions. A number of supprting elements 20 are disposed on the plate.The supporting elements are adapted to the dimensions of stabilizingarrangements 30 which are to be joined to container 10. Control elements21 adapted to the dimensions of the containers adjoin the supportingelements 20. An element 50 for supplying energy, for example forultrasonic welding, preferably adjoins one of the positions for thesupporting elements 20. The element 50 is equipped with a mandrel 51which can be displaced from a bottom position lying under the plate 100to an upper position in which the mandrel is situated in the supportingelement 20. A cooling element 52 adjoins a downstream position for thesupporting element 20. The cooling element is also provided with amandrel 52 which can be moved between a position below the plate 100 andan upper position situated in the supporting element 20.

A gripping element 40 provided for each individual supporting element 20is arranged to assume a position in which it secures the individualcontainers 10 on the supporting elements 20. In one embodiment of theinvention, the gripping elements are connected to a pressure applicationmeans 81, which consists for example of a container of compressed airand is equipped with valves for connecting and disconnecting thegripping element to and from the pressure application means. Thegripping elements are arranged to make sealing connection with the mouthportions of the containers, so that when the valve connected to thepressure application means is opened an excess pressure is produced inthe containers.

A supporting disc 80 is arranged to cooperate with the gripping elements40. In one embodiment the gripping elements 40 are each provided with aroller 41 lying against the supporting plate 80. The direction and shapeof the supporting plate are so selected that when it performs a relativemovement with respect to the supporting disc 80 the gripping element 40is moved in the direction of the supporting elements 20.

The stabilizing arrangement is fed with the aid of a magazine 60 forloose stabilizing arrangements, a feed means 61, for example a worm, anda suction element 62. The suction element 62 secures a stabilizingarrangement fed by the feed means and brings it into the desiredposition in the supporting element 20. The suction element 62 is movablebetween a position under the plate 100 and a position above thesupporting means 20. The suction element 61 is common to all thesupporting elements 20. Finished containers with stabilizingarrangements welded to them can be discharged with the aid of a suctiondischarge pipe 70, as shown in the drawing.

FIG. 13 shows in detail how the supporting elements 20 are mounted inone embodiment of the invention. The plate 100 and a mandrel can be seenin FIG. 2 the mandrel being either a mandrel 62 for supplying energy,for example, for ultrasonic welding, or a mandrel 53 for cooling. Inaddition, the bottom part of the container 10 is shown, as well as thestabilizing arrangement 30. In addition, there is also seen an outerring 22, preferably of metal, and an inner ring 23. The outer ring ismounted on a plurality of springs 24, so that the ring can be movedbetween an upper position of rest some distance from the plate 100 and alower position close to the plate. The inner diameter of the outer ring20 is adapted to the outside diameter of the stabilizing arrangement 30,so that the outer ring lies against the stabilizing arrangements.

In the drawing, the inner ring 23 is joined to the plate 100. It isadjustable with respect to the plate 100, for example, by being screwedinto the plate by means of a screwthread. The inside diameter of thering enables the mandrel 51 or 53 to pass through it. It can also beseen from the drawing that the plate 100 also permits the passage of themandrel. The upper surface of the inner ring lies approximately flushwith the bottom surface of the outer ring 22.

FIG. 13 shows how the middle portion of the bottom of the container 10is situated at a distance above the middle portion of the bottom of thestabilizing arrangement 30. This is the starting position for thecontainer when the latter has first been brought into a position forwelding to the stabilizing arrangement. In the following stage of theprocess, the container is acted on by forces which are directed towardsthe stabilizing arrangement, so that the container together with theouter parts of the stabilizing arrangement are displaced towards theplate 100. The middle portion of the bottom of the container 10 thusreaches a position in which the material of that portion is pressedagainst the material in the middle portion of the bottom of thestabilizing arrangement. Since the outer ring 22 is suspended on thesprings 24, the ring 22 can follow the stabilizing arrangement in themovement just mentioned. The welding and cooling of the welded regionare effected with the container and stabilizing arrangement lying in theposition close to the plate 100.

The mode of operation of an arrangement according to the descriptiongiven above is as follows:

With the aid of the feed means 61, the stabilizing arrangements are fedindividually from the magazine 60 to the supporting elements 20. Thistakes place with the supporting elements 20 in the position designatedposition 1. The final positioning of the stabilizing arrangement in thesupporting element is effected by the suction element 62, which acts onthe stabilizing arrangement 30 after the latter has been delivered bythe feed means 61. The control element 21 assists the suction element inthe correct directing of the stabilizing arrangement.

The plate 100 is thereupon turned one step in its direction of rotationand a container 10 is placed on the supporting element 20' by suitablefeed means thus also being placed on the stabilizing container in thesupporting element. The control element 21' ensures the correctorientation of the container. The gripper 40' is brought into positionfor closing the mouth portion of the container 10'.

The plate 100 is turned one step further. If necessary, pressure is thenapplied to the interior of the container. The roller 41" of the grippingelement 40" is operated during the movement of the supporting plate 80in such a manner that the container 10" is moved in the direction of thesupporting element 20". The stabilizing arrangement 30" is thus acted onby the container 10" in such a manner that the stabilizing arrangementand the container assume correct positions relative to one another forthe subsequent welding.

The plate 100 is now turned one step further. The mandrel 51 on theelement 50 for the supply of energy, for example, for ultrasonicwelding, is moved upwards towards the middle portion of the bottom ofthe stabilizing arrangement 30"'. Energy, for example ultrasound, issupplied by the mandrel and the material in the middle portion of thebottom of the stabilizing arrangement, and also the corresponding partsin the bottom of the container, are heated and the container is therebywelded to the stabilizing arrangement. The mandrel 51 then returns toits position below the plate 100.

The plate 100 is now moved one more step. The mandrel 53 of the coolingmeans 52 then assumes a position in which it lies against the middleportion of the bottom of the stabilizing arrangement 30 and thus coolsthe materials in this region and also in the region of the middleportion of the bottom of the container. This cooling lasts until thenecessary strength has been achieved in the bond between the stabilizingarrangement and the container.

The plate 100 is moved one step further, the roller 41 on the grippingelement 40 thus being freed from engagement with the supporting plate80. The application of pressure to the interior of the container, incases where pressure is applied, then ceases. The gripping element canthus return to its starting position. The container together with thestabilizing arrangement welded to it is released for removal from theproduction unit. This can be achieved for example with the aid of anejection device or with the aid of suction pipe 70.

With the construction described, a number of positions may be providedfor the supporting element 20 between the position for cooling thewelding region and the position for removal from the production unit.These positions may, for example, be utilized for inspecting theproducts and also for ejecting any products which do not pass thisinspection.

The arrangement described also makes it possible for a central controlsystem for the sequence of production operation to be provided, forexample, with the aid of a microdator. The latter attends to all thecontrol functions and pulses necessary for enabling the operatingelements to make the movements necessary for the sequence of operations.

In some applications, the outer ring 22 may have a fixed orientation inrelation to the plate 100. This arrangement is expedient when theadditional security provided through the movable suspension of the outerring 22 in respect of the orientation of the bottom of the container inrelation to the stabilizing arrangement is not necessary.

The foregoing describes an arrangement operating in accordance with theprinciple of the invention and consisting of a number of workingstations which are positioned on plate 100, which performs a circularmovement during the course of the operation. It is obvious that theinvention is not restricted to the use of an apparatus arranged in thismanner, but may also be applied with a more or less linear movement ofproduction elements. In accordance with the principle of the invention,it is equally possible for the separate production stations to be fixedin psition and for the containers and supporting elements to be movedbetween the various production stations. A combination of the twoalternative arrangements may be found economical in certain cases.

FIG. 7 diagrammatically illustrates the stages of operation for mountingthe stabilizing foot on the bottom of the container. Of special note isthe welding of the center of the support foot to the bottom of thecontainer while the support foot is elastically deformed to produce thebending moment in the foot which causes the rim of the foot to be presedagainst the container after the welding. As a consequence, in theinstalled, elastically deformed state of the stabilizing foot, twodistinct regions of contact are established between the foot andcontainer, one region being the fixed region at the central base portionwhere the foot presses against the container with a force acting axiallyof the foot and the other region is an unconnected region in which therim of the foot presses against the container with a force having acomponent acting radially of the foot, the foot being spaced from thecontainer between said regions at the hollow, annular projection andbeing elastically deformed thereat with said bending moment developedtherein.

A further advantage of the invention is that when the stabilizingarrangement is fastened to the container the stabilizing arrangement isassured of accurate orientation in relation to the vertical axis of thecontainer. Problems in connection with the filling of the container arethus overcome. Previously known foot contructions in which the footclips on the container do not provide the accurate orientation achievedhere.

What is claimed is:
 1. A composite package comprising a container of plastic material adapted for receiving a liquid and including a side wall and bottom of convex shape, and a stabilizing foot mounted on the container to provide a support therefor, said stabilizing foot being constituted of resilient plastic material in cup shape with a central portion and an upstanding rim, said stabilizing foot being fixed to said container in an elastically deformed state in which the stabilizing foot provides said support while said rim is pressed radially inwards against the wall of the container, said central portion of said stabilizing foot being welded to the bottom of the container in said elastically deformed state and elsewhere being unconnected to the container, said stabilizing foot including an annular projection extending downwardly and outwardly from the portion welded to the container, said projection being hollow and forming an annular support foot, said rim extending upwardly from said projection into smooth peripheral sliding engagement with the wall of the container, said elastically deformed state in said support foot being developed by axially pressing said central portion of said foot and said bottom of said container against one another to axially displace the central portion of the foot relative to said rim to develop a bending moment in said foot which remains, after the foot is welded to the container, to cause said rim to be pressed radially inwards against said container in tight engagement with said container, without fixation thereto, to enable the rim to slide axially on said container, said smooth sliding engagement of said rim with said container being at a location spaced radially from the welded connection of said central portion of said stabilizing foot with the bottom of the container to establish two distinct regions of contact between the foot and container, one region being the welded region at the central portion where the foot presses against the container with a force acting axially of the foot and the other region being an unconnected region in which the rim of the foot presses against the container with a force having a component acting radially of the foot.
 2. A package as claimed in claim 1, wherein said material of the stabilizing foot is recycled material.
 3. A package as claimed in claim 1 wherein the material of the stabilizing foot is non-oriented.
 4. A package as claimed in claim 1 wherein the material of the stabilizing foot is also oriented.
 5. A package as claimed in claim 1 wherein the stabilizing foot is injection molded.
 6. A package as claimed in claim 1, wherein the annular support foot of the stabilizing foot is thermo-molded.
 7. A package as claimed in claim 1 wherein the annular support foot of the stabilizing foot is molded by mechanical deep pressing.
 8. A package as claimed in claim 1 wherein the stabilizing foot is molded.
 9. A package as claimed in claim 1 wherein the stabilizing foot is welded to the container by ultrasonic welding.
 10. A package as claimed in claim 1 wherein the stabilizing foot is provided with ventilation and draining holes.
 11. A package as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bottom of the container, at which said central portion of said stabilizing foot is welded thereto, has (1) a material thickness which is greater than that where the rim of the stabilizing foot is in sliding engagement with the container, and (2) less orientation of the plastic material than that where the rim of the stabilizing foot is in sliding engagement with the container whereby the bottom of the container can be heated when the base portion is welded to the container without substantially affecting any orientation of material in the wall of the container. 